We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gabriella Rosa. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gabriella below.

Hi Gabriella, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the decision of whether to donate a percentage of sales to an organization or cause – we’d love to hear the backstory of how you thought through this.

Yes, I do try whenever I can, to donate. Not only am I creating an experience and memories for people who eat my food, but when I can I like to help others. I have donated a percentage of Good Vibe Pies profits a few times and look forward to continuing to donate. When the train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio it home literally. I take pride coming from Ohio, and seeing something like this happen, and not much support coming from the government at the time I felt for those families who lived there. I found a go fund me page that was putting money directly into helping the people who lived in East Palestine. The next time G.V.P. donated was when Maui had the wild fire disaster. I have a friend I met in California who I reached out to. He owns an apron company, Lundy Way, I know he is connected and asked for guidance on where I should donate to. He then told me about Golden Rule Charity, which raises money for people that specifically work in the hospitality industry facing crisis. I was happy to find a Charity that was helping people who were in Maui after the disaster, but specifically people who are in the same type of work as me. This Christmas Good Vibe Pies also collected winter coats, gloves, hats etc. for the less fortunate, and donated them to local donation centers. I love cooking and putting smiles on peoples faces, but being able to help people really makes me feel like I am doing something for the greater good. I truly believe food is love, and being able to show love in multiple ways makes what I do all the better. I really believe this world needs more love and if I can contribute in a small way I am going to do it. Showing love is like the wave at a stadium someone needs to start it, and then hopefully others will see and join in.

Gabriella, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Gabriella Rosa hailing from Cleveland, Ohio. The spring of 2020 was a gloomy time for everyone, especially restaurant staff, but I wanted to find a way to bring a little light into people’s lives. Food being the only way I knew how I began cooking again, starting with homemade pot pies. Offering weekly meals from scratch to friends and family. What was just fun soon turned into something wonderful and Good Vibes Pies was born. Here, I strive to bring the best ingredients and flavors to both our Classic and Healthy menus. Life gets busy, but I think there should always be time to sit down and enjoy a home cooked meal with the ones you care about.

I was born into a very Italian family, food was always the star of the party. Whether it was Nonna’s cappetilli, Grandma’s sauce, or Grandpa’s linguine and clams she was always at the dinner table. The table quickly turned into the kitchen where I fell in love. I love that food made people stop. Everyone would stop to sit, talk, and eat at the table, spending quality time, making memories, and enjoying great food. My friend and I who I grew up with we would spend our younger years together in the kitchen. I then went on to The Culinary Institute of America where I graduated in 2014. I moved to California after graduation to work at the Michelin Star restaurant All Spice under Chef Sachin Chopra. Two years later I then moved back to Cleveland and shortly after Good Vibe Pies was cooked up.

What makes me most proud of Good Vibe Pies other than being able to donate is the comments I receive after people try my food or after a catering job. When someone tells me that I was so easy to work with or how good the food was it reminds me that I am doing something right, and reminds me why I do what I do.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I think resilience is the epitome of the hospitality industry. Knowing that the food industry has very small profit margins, and wanting to start something because you love it so much and not for the money is resilient. People constantly saying to you that this industry is not for the weak, you have to be tough, you won’t make money, you’ll work long hours, you won’t see your friends and family, and sticking with it is resilience. You have to have a good mind set in this industry there is constant issues that can arise, and it’s how you handle them. Like they say if there’s a will there’s a way. I think specifically I showed resilience when I got my first professional chef job at Bon Appetit. Being a woman in a male dominated industry can definitely be hard. Whether its mansplaining, sexual harassment, or just not being taken seriously. I was 24 years old, and had a staff that was all older than me. I strived to be the best whether is was flavor profile of the food, quality, consistency, timing, variety, new ideas etc. I wanted to be the best to prove to myself, my staff, my bosses that just because I am a young woman I can hang with the best of them, and even be the best.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy to grow clientele is old school word of mouth. You know how it goes that one person is going to tell three others and so on. I know that if my food tastes good, if I stay honest, work hard, show up for the client their word will go for miles. It may not be the fastest way to grow clientele, but it is the most effective. When people tell their friends and family to choose my catering or buy a meal from me they are doing so because they trust the person who told them, and the cycle continues.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.goodvibepies.shop/
• Instagram: Good Vibe Pies LLC
• Other: [email protected]

Image Credits
Gabriella Rosa